Live-in relationships in India ~ Group Discussion Ideas

Table of Contents

What is a Live-in relationship :-

Two adult people living together in the same house in a relationship that resembles marriage but are not legally married is said to be a Live-in relationship.

Causes of increasing number of Live-in relationships in India :-

Till recently, marriage is a social compulsion. People can choose their life partner, but have to marry to stay together to get social acceptance for their relationship. People consider marriage as a sacred union. That is the reason present generation do not want to be risk it. They want to enter into marriage only if they are sure that the relationship is going to work. They want to completely understand about the person they are getting married to.
Freedom and personal choices have much wider acceptance these days.
The impact of globalization is also another cause.
In 2015, Supreme court said that live-in relationships are a consequence of changing times and not a criminal offence. And hence, they are not illegal in India. This gave a sense of relief to those who chose to enter into live-in relationships.

Live-in relationships – Good or Bad / Right or Wrong :-

What is good and what is bad differs from person to person. For some people, Live-in Relationships is wrong. For another set of people, arranged marriage is wrong. For some others, the concept of marriage is itself seems wrong. :D So, we can’t really say what is good and what is bad in the issues of relationships and individual choices.

Pros of Live-in Relationships :-

One can understand partner’s true nature. Living under the same roof is very much different than meeting them regularly.
Couples can analyse whether their relationship is compatible or not. For example, if both are short-tempered, the relationship may not survive in the long-run.
Breaking up after getting married is much harder compared to breaking up before getting married.
In India, people do not really have right to reject their partner. If one wants a divorce from his/her partner, and if the other one do not agree, it’s very hard to get divorce in court. Cruelty has to be proved in order to come out of the relationship. Sometimes, it’s not about the cruelty, people may drift apart. Live-in relationships have this advantage of walking away from the relationship if it is not a healthy relationship.
Some couples stay married due to societal pressure and family obligations. By opting live-in before getting married, this situation can be prevented.
There will be gender equality in live-ins as two people choose to live together and put effort to do so.

Cons of Live-in Relationships :-

One can easily walk away from the relationship is also a disadvantage. As breaking up in marriage is not easy, people will have enough time to realize their mistakes and to sort out the differences.
Though acceptance to live-ins is growing, it is still a taboo in many areas of India and may even face moral policing.
Some people will feel insecure with time, especially girls because of the uncertainty of the future of their relationship.
Children born out live-in relationships may have to face social stigma.
Though breaking up is not that harder as in the marriage, it is still harder for many. They will get used to each other. There will be more memories. For many, breakup is not expected and may lead to depression.
Supreme court stated that live-in relationship also come under the purview of Domestic violence law and maintenance laws. For those, who want a no string attached kind of relationship, this is a big drawback.

Conclusion :-

Live-in relationships in India are increasing and are gaining acceptance. Now, people are increasingly respecting individual choices in cases of relationships. Every kind of relationship have certain advantages and disadvantages. Choosing the type of relationship is just a matter of personal preferences.

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